FIRST DAY
by Jayne DLM
Summary: It is Hermione's first day in her new job. Oneshot. Was written as part of the DramioneLove Mini Fest Round 2 (2017).


**Title: FIRST DAY**  
 **Summary:** It is Hermione's first day in her new job.  
 **Author's Notes:** Just a quick piece of fluff. Thank you to my Beta who is super!

It was the first day of my new job.

Freshly appointed as the newest Wizengamot Associate within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I entered the Department at eight o'clock sharp.

I am not a morning person and hadn't had any coffee, yet I was eager to start work on the heavy case load I had been promised.

As I walked through the corridor I glanced sideways at the mirrored wall beside me to ensure that I looked the part of a Prosecution Attorney. I'd dressed in a black pencil skirt, a simple white blouse, and small kitten heels. My unruly hair was pulled back into a bun and charmed to stay in place. My lipstick was not too bright, and I'd paired the outfit with tasteful jewellery.

I looked competent, poised, and professional—upwardly mobile, and ready for the new challenge.

Satisfied with my appearance, I took a deep, calming breath, steadied my nerves, and walked into the Wizengamot's Annex, where all associates were assigned.

I smiled in satisfaction. No competition yet. That was good, as it gave me time to get my game face on, grab some much-needed coffee, and settle into my new desk. Granted, it was a small win, but beating my colleagues into work seemed to be a good place to start.

I walked into the office that had my name engraved on a gold plate above the door. The room was small with no windows. It was fine, for now. After all, I had to start my law career somewhere. No one gets a corner office with a view on their first day out the gate!

Once seated behind my new desk, the tray marked 'IN' magically filled up with files of cases I was, presumably, charged with working on that day. With a sense of purpose and determination, I grabbed the folder from the top of the pile and got straight to work.

I must have been thoroughly engrossed in the details of the case, because I didn't even notice I was no longer alone. In fact, the first indication that I was not the sole occupant in the room was when my desk creaked loudly under the weight of someone sitting on it. Startled, I jerked backwards like a spooked gazelle and the chair slipped out from underneath me. My backside connected with the ground hard enough to shoot spikes of pain up my spine and knocking the breath from me.

When I was able to finally look up from my position on the floor I glimpsed the expensive dark grey fabric of someone's trousers and the shiny reflection of well-buffed leather shoes.

My mystery guest laughed at my misfortune.

 _How rude!_

Embarrassed to my core, I gingerly heaved myself to my feet with as much dignity as I could muster under the awkward circumstances. I took a moment to smooth my skirt back down and adjust my crooked blouse before I turned to give my impolite visitor any attention. Seriously, what kind of jerk would laugh at someone's misfortune?

The intruder was still chuckling when I glanced his way.

It was Draco Malfoy, my new co-worker.

"Granger," he greeted me and pursed his lips in a failed attempt to stifle his laughter at my expense. "No wonder you never took to riding a broom. You've all the grace of a hippogriff."

I felt my hackles rise as he continued to laugh at my expense.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you that it is rude to enter where you're unexpected…and unwanted?" I demanded, and scowled up at him.

Merlin, even standing at my full height in heels, and him sitting down on my desk, he was still taller than me!

"Perhaps," he said, smirking. His grey eyes danced with mischief.

His playful expression totally disarmed me. In all the years I'd known him, I'd never seen such a look on Malfoy's face before…nor had I ever noticed how it softened his sharper angles.

Who'd have thought it possible that ferrety, rotten Draco Malfoy had grown into quite an attractive wizard?

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked.

I glared up at him and crossed my arms.

He looked down at me with a mocking expression.

I bristled. "Well? I haven't got all morning. Spit it out," I demanded. "Surely you're not a Defendant in court today, are you?" I responded sporting a smirk to mirror his own.

I could have sworn I saw a hint of hurt in his eyes at that.

He immediately straightened his posture, and like a curtain coming down, his face blanked of all expression. "I work here, too," he said. Lifting a coffee cup to his mouth, he took a quick sip of his morning brew before continuing. "I just wanted to wish you good luck on your first day."

From behind his back, he withdrew an identical cup of coffee, and presented it to me. Even from the distance, I could smell the delicious aroma of freshly brewed Kona.

I looked down at the kind offering, amazed that such a thoughtful thing could come from Draco Malfoy. As I glanced back up at him, I could tell that the peace offering had been sincere.

"T-thank you," I stammered, touched by the offering.

I reached out and took the cup from his hand. I must have looked both grateful and desperate for coffee, because my fingers trembled on the pass.

Malfoy, I noticed, was intrigued by my reaction.

As I wrapped my hand around the cup, our fingers momentarily touched. It was nothing more than a light graze, but the spark was instant.

Our eyes met and invisible electricity crackled between us.

Malfoy quickly withdrew his hand and left me holding the cup. Rising from my desk, now well and truly towering over me, he pivoted on the spot and headed for the door.

At the exit, he turned back to me and shot me an unexpectedly genuine smile. "I expect we will be seeing a lot of each other, Granger".

"I expect so," I replied, my heart beating a little fast in my chest.

With a nod in farewell, he strutted out from my office and walked into his own—which, coincidently, was right next door to mine.

I merely stared at the empty space on my desk where he had been seated and took a sip of coffee. I accidently let out a moan of appreciation as it hit my lips and rolled smoothly down my throat.

I heard a chuckle from next door.

Had I been that loud? How embarrassing!

Unnerved by the strange interaction with my one-time school rival, I set my coffee down on my desk, righted my chair, and decided it was best to simply divert my attention to more important matters. Like the stack of files waiting for me to sort through them.

Before I returned to work, however, I pulled my wand out and cast a quick _Scourgify_ spell on my desk. After all, it was slightly unhygienic to eat or drink in the same spot where someone had rested their laurels, coffee saviour or not.


End file.
